Jessa Chronicles:The lost maiden
by Datharyn
Summary: A cry from the woods, a mysterious warrior, Legolas , Aragorn and the dim witted Gimli rush to the rescue, but was there any need too?(Chapter 6 up, Finally, so sorry for the long wait)
1. Jessa Chronicles: The lost maiden

Declaimer: I do not own anything to do with LOTR, but Legolas will soon be mine, MUAHAHAHAHA, ok, now that I'm done with that, I do own Jessa/Tarieil and all that isn't in LOTR! Woohoo, "I RULE"  
  
Chapter 1:The Jessa Chronicles:The lost maiden  
  
  
This Tale starts as most do, that have legolas in it, Wondering through the woods with Gimli the dwarf, his closest companion, and Aragorn, a great leader of men. They were wondering towards the village of Prangwood, In search of a quite place to rest after many long weeks of never ending travel.  
  
"By the dawn I am sick of this never-ending woodland road, so much green, its repulsive" came the whine of Gimli from his horse.  
  
"We soon arrive in Prangwood, though not much solace from the trees will you find there "replied Aragorn, obviously tired of Gimli's never ending monolog of complaints.  
  
"Indeed, For Prangwood is made much like My home, dwellings in the trees, I shall feel most at home there, save the fact that rarely an elf sets foot in that land." Came the clear, soft voice of Legolas greenleaf.  
  
All of a sudden a Shrill Scream came from the east, near to where the where. It was that of a woman, but to his keen elven ears, Legolas felt no fear in it. "Orcs!!!" He cried out. "Surrounding some poor girl no doubt, come on lets go"Gimli said roughly, but Legolas had already started to gallop towards the east. Followed by Aragorn, who had departed before Gimli had a chance to speak, "well then, CHARGE"Gimli kicked his horse and fallowed the others.  
  
When Legolas Arrived in the clearing what he saw rendered him frozen for a good few seconds, A girl, by herself, surrounded by 20 Orcs. But it was not this that startled him so, for he would have quickly drawn his bow if that had been the simplicity of the matter. No, the girl had not a weapon, but was kicking and punching at the Orcs with such skilled force, and every time she made a hit, she gave a cry of a warrior. When the others arrived, they to seemed amazed, but the quickly found themselves again and snapped into action. Legolas Shot 5 through the throat before the Orcs took any notice of them, and then Aragorn was upon them, wielding his sword through the hearts of the Orcs as well as Gimli, Hacking away with his axe. All the while the strange girl kept on fighting, seemingly unshaken by the presence of the others.  
  
When finally the last Orcs was slain, did Words pass between the travelers. "Thank....You" breathed the girl heavily, not looking up from the ground. "What is a girl like yourself doing alone in these woods?" Aragon asked with a questioning tone in his voice. She did not get to Answer, for at that moment Gimli burst in" And how in valar did you come to Fight like that!!!" Gimli asked, Not being able to control his curious surprise.  
  
"I have been well trained in the art of unarmed combat, I have had to be, and in answer to your inquiry" she then turned to Aragon"I was heading to the village of Prangwood, I take residence there at the local Inn, but have been away on...business these past days" for the first time she looked up, to reveal the most vibrant of green eyes, like the colour Of moss in the sun.   
  
Twas Legolas who thought her eyes like this, for it was odd to him, this she-warrior.  
  
"Twas a good thing we heard your cry for help" Gimli said loudly, in the way of a hero, desterbing Legolas's thoughts.  
  
Legolas then spoke, and he chose his words carefully "Twas no cry for help, that. Twas a Battle cry, for no fear did your voice show"  
  
The girl then took notice of the elf prince, for the first time.  
To all of there surprise, she dropped to one knee, and bowed her head  
"Your highness"  
"What?" Legolas said, though he knew why she was doing this gesture, he did not understand how this human would know that he was a prince."What be your name, young one?"Aragon rang in time, leaving Legolas in his confused ways.  
  
"I am Called Jessa, as in the hawk's bell, for I to ring clear and true"  
  
"Well then Jessa, as strong a warrior you maybe, I think it best for you to ride back with us to Prangwood, for we to are headed to the Inn there, hopefully you shall guide us?" Aragon said with a smile, looking down at the young girl, "she couldn't be more then 20,and all by her lonesome, I wonder what had happened to her" he thought, feeling oddly drawn to her, like there lay a bond between them.  
  
"Well, I would feel better in the company of numenors finest" Jessa said, slyly.  
  
"Now then, how'd you know that he was of Numenor?" Gimli spoke brashly, voicing the company's thoughts, for her last remark had rendered Aragon speechless, and Legolas as well was still trying to put together his thoughts of this. She look familiar to him, in what way he did not know, and if it was possible that he did know her, well that was almost out of the question, for she was very young indeed, so he doubted he had ever seen her on his travels, and she couldn't have ever passed through Mirkwood...  
  
  
"Shall we then, through this last clearing are the East Gates of Prangwood, round a few bends and we're at the Inn, best known as the "GreenLeaf Terrace"  
At that, Legolas gave a laugh, "wow, my very own inn!!!"  
  
"Let us go now, so we reach it before nightfall" Aragon commanded  
With that they were off, Jessa leading the way.  
  
End part one 


	2. Jessa Chronicles: The lost elven maiden

Declaimer: I still don't own LOTR or Legolas, which sucé le sac, but I do own the Legolas action figure and trading card! So there, nanannananana :P. Jessa/tariel is still mine as well as any person place or thing that isn't from LOTR. and ya, I still RULE!!!  
  
Chapter 2: The lost Elven Maiden  
  
  
After following Jessa for about an Hour through the countless tree's, on foot, for they had dismounted the horses to accommodate her , who was on foot, they arrived at Prangwood's gates. "Through here is the woodland village of Prangwood, It will take about 20 minutes to get to the Inn, so we best get a move on, if we are to reach it before it fills with the ale loving common folk" Jessa said to the group, and she went through the gates ahead, the others followed her lead.  
  
Just as the sun was setting, they arrived at the foot of the "Greenleaf terrace". "Ach, I can see where it gets its name, sorry for me to say, way up there in the tree like that" Gimli said with a moan .  
  
"Gimli, could you please find something NOT to complain about" came Aragorn in annoyance to Gimli's never ending list of complaints.  
  
"well, the terrace wouldn't be the ideal resting place of the Dwarves of Erebor" Jessa mentioned quietly as she started up the steep steps to the treetop inn.   
  
Before any of them could speak she stood at the top, looking down. "I'll go tell Chopper, the innkeeper that your here, and he'll be down to help with the horses. I'm going to clean up in my room, we shall meet for supper in the main room in an hour." with that Jessa disappeared from view, leaving the three standing alone, astonished and confused.  
It was Gimli who broke the awed silence first, " How do you suppose she knew I'm from Erebor? and you of Numenor, Aragorn? Legolas, she bowed down on knee to you as a prince of elves, do you know of this one? is she of Mirkwood?" He said hastily, wanting to find answers to his many questions.  
  
"She is some what familiar to me, Gimli, but it is impossible that she be of Mirkwood in origin , for no human has ever lived there" Legolas said, absent mindedly, trying to straighten his own thoughts.  
  
"We are meeting her for supper, we shall find out then what this little redhead has to say, ah I believe this "chopper" approaches" Aragorn said with a lightness in his voice.  
  
*****  
The horses were safely in the Inn's stables, the three travelers had a room, and Aragorn and Gimli were ready to get some food. "What's taking so long Legolas? My head is queasy from the height of this place, but my stomach is growling for some red meat of the bone!" Gimli called out to his friend, who was in the bathing room. "I intend to take full advantage of the services here, dear Gimli" Legolas spoke through the wooden door in reply. "So you intend to keep Jessa waiting then, Legolas?" Aragorn said with a laugh.  
"It would be most rude to break bread with dirty hands" Legolas answered in reply, using the old elven proverb, for elves hate getting dirty, and hate staying filthy even more.  
  
Within a few moments he appeared, fully clothed and clean, and the group went down to the common hall of the Inn. Jessa sat in a far corner of the room, at a table set for 4. She was dressed much the same, in a clean tunic of forest green, which made her eyes glow in the fire light, her bright red hair was set loose to her shoulders, for it was short as that. She looked rather out of place in the room that was filled with the village men, who did love their ale. She greeted them with a smile and told them to sit. "So sorry we kept you waiting m'lady, but Legolas here insisted on bathing for a good long time" Gimli said with a level of jest in his voice. "Tis along time since I've been called m'lady, Gimli son of Gloin, but I mind not for your tardiness, Tis best to break bread with clean hands, I despise dirt" She chimed out in reply.   
  
Chopper then came to take food orders from them, and the group of males forgot all the questions they wished to ask this odd girl.  
  
After their bellies were filled , the conversation flowed as freely as the ale. They had talked about much, but nothing that they wanted to say. It appeared that Jessa had been traveling for a good long time, but she was so young, it didn't make any sense.  
  
"How is it that you have come to travel along, a young girl as your self, you couldn't be more then 20, so please do tell." Aragorn asked, concern and curiosity plagued his voice.  
  
With this Jessa laughed brightly, and the hearts of all that sat there felt suddenly Very light.  
"In a forth night, I pass my 75th birthday, So I bet that I am a bit more seasoned then yourself, Dunadan" she said these words with a lightness that overcame them so.  
"75? is that possible, you look, your , you are, so very young" Aragorn stuttered in response, completely ignoring the fact that she used his full title.  
  
Jessa just smiled as they gawked, the only one who seemingly began to understand was the prince Legolas, but even he seemed rather confused. She then stretched out her arms, reached up to her face and tucked some of her golden red hair behind her ears. She made an obvious move of this. Legolas near jumped  
"you're an elf" Gimli shouted, shocked. "Yes, I am, and in response to the Dunadan, I am still very young, though if I were human Id be old" she said calmly.   
  
"well that explains a lot", Aragorn said, more to himself then anyone.  
  
"how is this possible?" It was Legolas, a very confused Legolas. "I did not sense it from you, I should have been able to tell that you were an Elf"   
  
"I am worn, I have travelled for more then half of my life, 55 years I have travelled, My elvish glow has long been erased by the troubles of my life, The road goes ever on and on, and Immortality becomes a curse" Jessa said, her joyful smile faded, and pain filled her emerald eyes. she looked down, unable to shake off the memories of times past.  
"I must now take my leave, I need rest, good night" She left with those words, up the stairs to her room,  
Leaving the three with many a Question, and no answers.  
  
  
End Part 2 


	3. Jessa Chronicles: The lost maiden of Mir...

Disclaimer: I'm waiting on the paper work so that I can but LOTR, but till then I don't own any of it, even Legolas, :(. Jessa/Tariel are mine, as well as all the stuff that isn't in LOTR, blahblahblah, on with the show! Oh ya, I am Still RULEing.  
  
Chapter 3:The lost Maiden of Mirkwood  
  
  
The three friends slept that night in a treetop room, The day had proven to be very eventful, Filled with many a question and not a single answer.  
  
"I don't believe I shall get a wink of sleep in such heights"Gimli moaned wearily.  
  
"Well, if it would please you, I do know of a building on the ground where you may sleep the night away" Aragorn said in a surprisingly calm voice.  
  
"Truly? Well yes, Friend, it would please me greatly if you knew of a place on In this wannabe Elf village safely on the ground" Gimli spoke cheerfully, but still a whine in his voice.  
  
"The Stables, with the horses, now please Gimli, could you stop your moaning till daylight and find your way into the land of dreams?" Said Aragorn, very weary himself with the non-ceasing moaning of the thick-necked Dwarf.  
  
Sleep then passed on the room, Aragorn fell almost immediately to its call, even Gimli soon found his way into a deep sleep. Legolas looked on his friends Faces. The Thick necked Gimli, how dear the little dwarf had become to him, and Aragorn, who lead them so very well, so much strength of will, Legolas had deep respect for him. Jessa. Jessa. Mysterious Jessa, Jessa is no name for an elf. Legolas was unable to sleep. He wouldn't be able to till his questions had answers.  
  
He hadn't known where Jessa's room was, but before he realized it, he had knocked on a door. Jessa's pale face appeared as it opened, Her eyes glowed in the light of the candle she held.  
  
"Come in, Prince of Mirkwood, I knew you would come" She said softly, almost in a whisper.  
  
"I am most sorry for waking you, I"Legolas didn't get a chance to finish, for Jessa chimed in "you haven't a reason to apologies, your highness, for I had been waiting for you, and no sleep passed my eyes" she said calmly. She then smiled at him, "your not going to stay in the hall are you, I believe it would be best to have our conversation in the room, come in" said she. Legolas walked through the door, and sat in the chair that she waved him to, she sat on the bed, for the suit was rather small, but reminded him so much of home.  
  
"I have many Questions and not a single answer, Jessa. I was hoping that you could aid me in this" He sighed then, trying to shake of the feeling of familiarity.  
"You already know, you don't need me to tell you, you want me to assure you." Came her reply, which made Legolas sink further into his thoughts, feeling very confused indeed.  
  
" Oh Elebereth Glithoniel, who are you? You are so very familiar to my mind, not my eyes, yet you are still a child though time has seemed to have taken away your Innocence" Legolas said exasperatedly.   
  
Jessa then turned to him, a glint in her eyes, and Legolas took a good long look at her. Who is she, and how do I know her? Were the only thoughts in his wise mind.   
  
"You do remember me Still, Son of Thranduil, For it would be folly for the prince not to be able to remember back 55 years" Jessa said, slipping into the native tongue of Legolas, that of the Mirkwood Elves.  
  
As Jessa spoke the words in Elvish, a small light seemed to go over her, and a bit of the elven glow seemed to come back to her. As if the light over Jessa set on a Light in Legolas's mind, breaking through the mist of confusion. He Jumped up  
"By Elbereth!!!" He exclaimed "Tariel, daughter of Tari and Elendil, You are Tariel"   
  
She looked away, but by the mentioning of her proper elven name, the glow became more intense and the next words she spoke seemed so much lighter. "It has been a good while since I had muttered any words in our language, and longer since I have been called by that name, Prince of Mirkwood" she then looked up at him, "I once was Tariel, but she was lost, Jessa is all that is left , may you be able to retain a friendship with her" and with that she bid him good night.  
  
As Legolas found his way back to the room he shared with Aragorn and Gimli, a surge of memories flooded his mind. "Tariel" he said her name aloud."yes, I do remember the fire haired Daughter of Tari, The light hearted, and skilled Child. How cruel have the years been to render you so?"  
  
End part 3 


	4. I will Find him/Many Laments

Disclaimer: LOTR isn't mine, what exactly that means is still over my head. Jessa/Tariel is mine along with Chopper and future characters to come along such as B'elan T'serra(try saying that 10 times fast) and Primrose Prima. Please don't steel my characters, they are my only friends! ORLI, I love you!!!.  
  
Chapter 4: I will find him/ Many Laments  
  
Golden light flooded the room, the world was waking, but Tariel didn't need to. She hadn't let sleep claim her, not that night. To think that only a day ago her thoughts had been turned to her birthday. Now the prince of Mirkwood had come, but it wasn't to find her, thank the Valar. Would he take her home? Would anyone home want her? Had her mother understood why she had had to leave?   
  
A great heaviness over took her not quite so sleek body, and the built up hurt from the long years began to stir within her. "No" She gasped out "NO!, I won't go back, I can't, I will find him, I will"   
She sobbed pitifully; her leaf-green eyes glowed with her elven tears.  
"Oh mum, I'm soso sorry."  
  
  
********************  
  
  
When the light of the sun kissed the eyelids of Aragorn, he awoke to find his elven companion pacing up and down the modest room. He made no sound, but it was plain to see a great burden he now seemed to posses, right down to his soul.  
"Bright morn, tis is not, Legolas?" Said Aragorn after watching Legolas for a moment. Trying to break the unnerving silence that night had left behind.  
"Would seem so, Aragorn, yes, bright it is." Legolas replied quickly, in a passive whisper.  
"What plagues you so, friend? Out of honesty, I would have thought you would be happy here in prang wood, does it not remind you of your home?" Inquired the human, wanting to unearth Legolas's thoughts.  
"Tis not the place that sets me at unease, but that that does is not a matter of concern for yourself, Dunadan." Said the elf.  
  
"Surely, Legolas, anything that can trouble you so, would be cause to tell myself and Gimli about" Aragorn Said, almost frustrated. By this time Gimli had begun to stir into the waking world.  
"It is a matter of Mirkwoodien Origin, and as prince, it is mine and mine alone in this company that must shoulder it."  
  
"It's that their Jessa" Gimli grumbled out.  
  
Legolas looked at his dwarven friend, and couldn't help but smile.   
  
"You speak truth my friend. Yes, tis Jessa, or should I say Tariel that causes me distress." Legolas murmured.  
  
"Why would the girl cause you this disease, Legolas, surly the fact that you couldn't tell she was an Elf wouldn't unnerve you this much!" Aragorn asked, bewildered.  
  
"No, it isn't that. As you have seen, I used her proper elven name, that of Tariel, Daughter of Tari, Highest of advisors to King Thranduil, my father. Tariel, I can still recall the many Laments in her namesake, we mourned a good long time for the lost maiden." These words being said Legolas seemed to sink into the pools of his memories.  
  
"How very mysterious, Legolas" Gimli said, being at a lack of words to utter in aid of his friend.  
  
"You say that Jessa is this Lost Maiden of Mirkwood, this, this Tariel?"  
Aragorn asked.  
  
"Most Indefinably. I spoke with her on the eve of today, just after sleep had taken you. It has taken much effort, but I can now remember the events as they did unroll. Tari is my father's most trusted advisor, as well as closes friend so our families run together. I myself am 200 years and 3 months older then Tariel, but I was taught to look out for the young lady of the court. 3 days after her 20th birthday, she vanished, and all had assumed that some kind of evil had taken her, and if that was the case, death is what we wished for her. We searched for many a day, but not a trace was found. I myself felt a deep loss." Legolas sunk further into his past, thoughts of the sorrow seemingly over whelmed him.  
  
"Well, death hasn't laid claim to her, as you can see. Why do you seem so very pained, is this not a time to reunite and rejoice?" Gimli inquired.  
  
"I have now to make a decision. It is now apparent to me that she was taken away and escaped that fate, but chose not to go home, or ran away, for what reason I cannot tell. I now must choose one of two paths. Do I leave her be, to fate unknown in this world, Or do I take her with us, to eventually return to Mirkwood?" Legolas trailed off, lost in thought.  
  
"Perhaps that is not your decision to make Legolas." Said Aragorn wisely "Tis not as if she was in your blood line and you owe no great debt to her"  
  
"We were to be betrothed, we were to one day marry" Came his reply.  
  
  
End Part 4 


	5. Weakness/A Crystal Unlikeness

Disclaimer: Well, I tried to buy LOTR, but it's price was just a bit to rich for my blood, so sadly I sit here typing today as I say, ONCE MORE, I don't own LOTR. BOOHOOHOO, But Orli hun! YOU'RE MINE,   
MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Just to make sure we don't get confuzeld here, Jessa is Tariel, Tariel is Jessa, I'm gonna be calling her both for the remainder of the story, sorry if it confuzzels you, but IM THE AUTHOR AND I CAN!!! hehehehe  
  
UPDATE: I finally got a word processor with spell check, hehehe, so all those little mistakes that you all loved so much, well they shouldn't be popping up all that often any more, YA!  
  
  
Chapter 5:Weakness/A Crystal Unlikeness   
  
  
Chopper walked up the steps to Jessa's room, a letter addressed to her in his hand. When he reached her door, he heard sobs emanating from the room. The cries were full of pain, of someone in deep distress, and Chopper was at war inside himself as to what he should do. 'do I go in?' he thought, 'or perhaps I should just leave the lass be'. He hadn't a clue at what he should do, he decided to act on the earlier and before he could stop himself he knocked at her door. The sobs ceased and from within the room he heard a sharp intake of breath. "W-who is it?" came Jessa's voice meekly, "whose there" She said with a bit more force in her voice. "Um, It be Chopper , and I've , ah, got 'ere a letter wrote out to you, miss Jessa" Said the brawny Innkeeper. "Oh, Chopper! , Um, Jus'a Minute" Came her surprised reply.  
  
When Jessa Opened the thick oak door, Chopper near jumped back, her eyes seemed to be glowing fiercely, not the mysterious deep green like the inner mosts of the ancient forests as Chopper had come to see her eyes, but a luminous jade, which was beautiful, but frightening as well.   
" 'ere now miss Jessa, whets gone and 'append to upset ya so?" asked Chopper, his own deep brown eyes widening at the sight of his friend upset to the point of incredulous pain.  
"I'm, I'm fine Chopp's" Jessa spit out, obviously telling a falsehood. Chopper gave her an odd look, for he could not understand her, she was so very odd to his eyes, he had never seen any thing like her before in his whole life. Well, that's not saying much, for he was only 23, and had just taken possession of the terrace 4 months earlier after the death of his father. 'Had someone died, is that why she's crying? When me dad died it hurt, maybe that's why' He pondered, slowly processing all that he saw.  
Jessa turned and walked into her room, signalling chopper to do the same.   
  
It was then that she collapsed to the ground, no longer able to keep in the pain, she was shedding the tears of many years. Chopper ran to her, and took her into his grasps, before he knew it he was holding her tight, her head against his chest. "It's OK miss Jessa, s'ok, notathin is gonna come get ye whilst I be 'ere" He said, feeling quite valiant with this young lady in his strong arms. "Oh Choppa, I-I-I" Jessa was unable to speak, she leaned completely against the broad man holding her. She felt so very weak, she never depended on anyone like this, she hated being the "WEAK" female, what was this?   
  
*******  
  
"your Be-what? What's a betrothed?" Gimli whined out, completely ignorant of Legolas's deep confusion.  
  
"You were to marry the girl, yet you didn't even recognise her?" Aragorn asked in confusion, completely ignoring Gimli's Stupidity.  
  
"I have thought her dead for 55 years, and, she looks not like the child I knew." Legolas sighed in reply. He then grabbed his quiver and rummaged for something in the lower pocket. He removed his hand to show Sketch upon birch bark, in cased in flat crystal.  
"See, that is Tariel, the one I never got to know, the child I taught archery to, the future princess of Mirkwood." with his last statement he slouched as he handed the crystal to Aragorn. He took it with care into his hands, and gazed upon the tiny portrait. It was of a young lass, with long straight fiery hair to her waist, braided by her elven ears which poked through the auburn mass. She had sleekly tilted eyes of a woodland elf and they seemed to glow of a magnificent emerald, and plump full lips that seemed to be as stains of blood against her pale skin. underneath the image of the she-elf was written a name in elven lettering, it said "Tariel Ke'ree" .   
"This is the girl that we dinned with last night?" Gimli voiced in confusion, while he eyed the crystal in Aragorn's hand.   
"Yes, that is Tariel, as I had known her, so you can see how my mind was deceived by her appearance" Leoglas said with much unease in his soft voice.   
"How did you end up with such a crystal likeness of her, Legolas?" Asked the dwarf.  
"When it was so declared that we were to be betrothed to each other on her 30th birthday, my father had our likenesses skilfully painted on the finest birch bark and in cased in the purest crystals so that we would always carry each other round." with that statement Legolas was once again lost in his thoughts.  
  
"Crystal likeness? More like a crystal unlikeness, I can barely recognise Jessa, Tariel? oh bother." said Aragorn.  
  
"tis true, she looks nothing like the Tariel I knew, the young lady of the court, the quick-witted child, the girl I taught archery too...." the Elven prince trailed off. He then spoke in a murmur, more to himself then any one else "Perhaps she was right"   
  
"Right about what?" Inquired Gimli. He never got his answer, for at that moment Legolas ran from the room, out of sight from his companions.  
  
  
  
A/n: More to come soon, I promise, please don't hate me for this chapter, It had to be written. What was the whole Chopper thing about you say? Well read on, what was in the letter, again read on! I love all my readers dearly, even if you aren't so very fond of me! Just thought I'd let you know how very much you mean to me. PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE tell me what you think, cause I want to know if its even worth it for me to write more, cause if no one gonna read it, well heck! so please tell your friends, family, joe-bob from down the street!!! R/R its the kind thing to do!!! This is Dathryn saying **LATERZ** 


	6. Away from where, once upon a time and lo...

Disclaimer: So sorry it's taken so long for this, I've had some personal tragedy in the past month and a half so, I haven't been up to writing so much. I'll try to have made it worth your wait, but no flames if it sucks? Once again I don't own LOTR, (randomly erupts into tears) but Jessa/Tariel is mine along with anything else that isn't from Master Tolkien's writing.  
  
  
  
Chapter 6:Away from where, once upon a time and long ago  
  
  
  
Legolas was running, for what reason he wasn't quite sure. Thoughts were accelerating through his mind faster then his very elven feet were carrying him. 'perhaps she is correct' he repeated to himself again and again, 'Tariel maybe no more, only the hard and mysterious Jessa remains'. He had left his friends, left the room most abruptly, but in his state he wasn't even concerned if he had offended them. He needed to find it, what "it" was he was not sure, and how he was to go about searching for it, that was too foggy to even begin.   
  
When he finally stopped his sprint he found that he was no longer in the tall reaches of the terrace branches, but within a yard, very beautiful in its growth, for the flora was most rich, over hanging willows adorned the sides of the light grey stone used in the walls. Legolas found himself taking the most deep of breaths and the marvellous scent overwhelmed the prince, he found his way to a small stone bench and collapsed while memories flooded into his thoughts. He hadn't known her that well, she had been most young, but still, he had had a strong affection for the young girl.  
  
He looked up after many minutes had past, and found himself staring into his own eye's. This startled the mirrored-eyed prince, but he soon realized that he was staring into a tranquil pool, and when he caught his own image, he suddenly knew what he was searching for.  
  
********************  
  
  
His Lips touched hers, he felt complete bliss, she felt only fear.  
"What, what are you doing!" Jessa cried as she pulled away from the burly lads embrace.  
"I-I, I just thought, that is to say I meant...." Chopper stuttered, confused and emotionally marred.  
"Well you thought wrong" She replied with a tongue of fire, but she looked into his eyes and knew he was undeserving of such austerity. She took his hand in hers and said " I am sorry Chopp's, I would never want to hurt you, but I cannot understand where such an action did come from." Jessa sighed. Chopper managed to meet her eyes and that explained all. He had felt like such for the longest of times, for the whole while she had stayed at his Inn. She had come right after his father had passed on, she had been a source of comfort, 'oh bloody 'ell, I am one daft bloke' he could not help but think.   
  
Jessa had been staying at the terrace for half a year, and she had gotten comfortable, a large part of it because of Choppers hospitality and friendship, and now it appeared she had been a bit too comfortable.  
'I should have known better then to think I could be any thing but itinerant' she felt foolish, and very empty. She had come to think of Prangwood as her home, and the Terrace as her haven from the never ceasing torment that consisted of her life. 'And now it tis all over, I must be on my way'. Jessa gave one last look at her friend, and did her best to feel indifferent, but somehow as many times as she tried, she could never separate herself from others pain. She gave her leave and walked out of the room that only moments before had been hers.   
  
  
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Legolas had always been able to separate his mind from confusion; to find solace in the eye of the storm, where was all his elven ability now? " I have fought countless battles, have seen comrades cease to exist, felt bottomless grief and dealt with pain that would have crushed the mind of any mortal-being, but it seems that the one thing bleaker then a dark future is mine own past" Legolas said aloud, and wasn't quite sure what he meant by it.   
It was then, as the elf was sinking deeper into his bewilderment, that Gimli appeared in the courtyard.  
He wasn't the brightest creature in the land, but he was a good friend, and he had the utmost concern for his friend.  
"Legolas, are you well?" Asked the concerned dwarf.  
"Gimli? Well? I would hope so, but why are you here?" Asked Legolas.  
"You left the room in such a huff, even for an elf, you stomped down the hall Legolas, not float! And I said to myself, "Gimli, that Elf is in some trouble of a horrible lot, and you best be there for him, just as he's been there for you many a time" I did say" replied the bushy bearded dwarf, placing a concerned hand on his friends shoulder.  
"Thank you Gimli, you are an invaluable friend." Legolas said with genuine gratitude in his voice.  
"Come now, let us go and find that Chopper to stir up some breakfast, it is late enough now and my stomach cannot bear any more of this punishment!" Legolas just laughed as his dwarven friend spoke, and it was as if a light appeared in his mind.  
  
  
  
End part 6  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: Ok so theres the part that took 3 months to show up, Im sorry ok! I hope you liked it, and the next part WILL be up soon, thanks bunchels.   
Love and bruises  
  
Datharyn 


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